2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Shanghai: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup -Shanghai

• Friday, October 18th – Sunday, October 20th
• Shanghai, China
• Prelims at 9:30 am local (9:30 pm ET previous night)/Finals at 6:30 pm local (6:30 am ET)
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entries Book
• Live Results
• Live Recaps: Day 1 Prelims | Day 1 Finals | Day 2 Prelims

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheets

After an electric day one that saw a bevy of national records and World Cup records fall, we’re back for another day of Short Course Meters racing in Shanghai.

It’ll be another star-studded lineup today, as plenty of Olympic gold medalists and world record holders (both in SCM and LCM) are scheduled to race in this morning’s nine events.

The prelims session should be viewable to most fans on the World Aquatics Recast page (for a fee), which can be accessed below. For more information, read here.

Men’s 50m Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 22.11 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2022)
• World Cup Record: 22.61 — Peter Marshall, USA (2009)
• World Junior Record: 22.52 — Isaac Cooper, AUS (2022)

Top 8:

1. Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 22.58
2. Xu Jiayu (CHN) – 23.07
3. Theirry Bollin (SUI) – 23.09
4. Pieter Coetze (RSA) / Kacper Stokowski (POL) – 23.14
5. (tie)
6. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 23.21
7. Marius Kusch (GER) – 23.23
8. Jack Dolan (USA) – 23.29

It didn’t take long to see a record go down, as Australia’s Isaac Cooper popped a 22.58 to break a 14 year-old World Cup record. That record was previously set by Peter Marshall of the USA back in 2009.

Cooper was actually a bit off of his best time, a 22.52 that he clocked two years while setting the World Junior Record, so watch for him to be faster in tonight’s finals.

Reigning Olympic 100 Backstroke silver medalist Xu Jiayu qualified 2nd with a 23.07, followed closely by Switzerland’s Theirry Bollin at 23.09.

South Africa’s Pieter Coetze tied with Kacper Stokowski for 4th this morning, with both swimmers going 23.14. Coetze will be the only swimmer from yesterday’s 200m backstroke final to also swim in the shortest backstroke event this stop.

Women’s 200m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 1:49.63 — Siobhan Haughey, HKG (2021)
• World Cup Record: 1:50.32 — Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• World Junior Record: 1:52.59 —  Bella Sims, USA (2022)

Top 8:

1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 1:54.66
2. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:57.36
3. Yagi Kong (CHN) – 1:58.86
4. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 2:02.61
5. He Ya-Hsuan (TSE) – 2:03.16
6. Wei Tzu-Ning (TSE) – 2:05.59
7. Xin Ru Charmaine Lee (SGP) – 2:07.22
8. Shannon Tan (CLB) – 2:o7.63

With only one heat of prelims, there wasn’t a ton of impetus for the top swimmers to throw down fast times this morning. That said, Mary-Sophie Harvey of Canada swam a personal best of 1:54.66 en route to the top seed. World record holder Siobhan Haughey (HKG) posted the second-fastest time of the morning with a 1:57.36, while China’s Yagi Kong was the only other women under two minutes with a time of 1:58.86.

Men’s 200m Individual Medley – Prelims

• World Record: 1:49.63 — Ryan Lochte, USA (2012)
• World Cup Record: 1:50.37 — Shane Casas, USA (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:51.45 — Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 1:53.54
2. Duncan Scott (GBR) – 1:53.89
3. Wang Shun (CHN) – 1:54.05
4. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 1:54.19
5. Zhang Zhanshuo (CHN) – 1:54.21
6. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:54.33
7. Kieran Smith (USA) – 1:54.37
8. Trenton Julian (USA) – 1:54.77

Leon Marchand will be aiming for another IM gold medal after winning the 100 IM last night. Marchand had the fastest time of the morning by about a third of second. Marchand (1:53.54) and Duncan Scott (1:53.89) were the only two men under 1:54 this morning, with Wang Shun of China rounding out the top three.

It was an incredibly tight prelims race, as Great Britain’s Mark Szaranek missed out on tonight’s final by a mere 0.01s.

Women’s 100m Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 54.56 — Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2024)
• World Cup Record: 55.23 — Shiho Sakai, JPN (2009)
• World Junior Record: 55.74 —  Bella Sims (2022)

Top 8:

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 56.04
2. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA) – 57.45
3. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 57.53
4. Beata Nelson (USA) – 57.68
5. Peng Xuwei (CHN) – 57.73
6. Wan Letian (CHN) – 58.30
7. Yang Junxuan (CHN) – 59.17
8. Hannah Jane Fredericks (AUS) – 59.37

Regan Smith hit a new personal best this morning with a 56.04 to lead the prelims session. With Kaylee McKeown having withdrawn from the remainder of the stop after breaking the Oceanian and World Cup records in the 50m back yesterday, Smith’s path to a win tonight looks pretty clear.

Anastasiya Shkurdai of Belarus posted the second-fastest time of the morning, a 57.45 that’s eight-tenths shy of her personal best, followed by Ingrid Wilm of Canada at 57.43.

Men’s 50m Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 24.95 — Emre Sakci, TUR (2021)
• World Cup Record: 25.25 — Cameron van der Burgh  (2009)
• World Junior Record: 25.85 —  Simone Cerasuolo (2021)

Top 8:

1. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) – 25.69
2. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 25.73
3. Sun Jiajun (CHN) – 26.13
4. Michael Andrew (USA) – 26.22
5. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 26.42
6. Joshua Collett (AUS) – 26.61
7. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 26.66
8. Joshua Yong (AUS) – 26.69

The top three finishers in this morning’s prelims are the same top three from last nights’ 100m final.

After earning a silver medal last night, Ilya Shymanovich of Belarus paced the field this morning with a. 25.69. Last night’s gold medalist, China’s Qin Haiyang, qualified second this morning with a 25.73, followed by teammate Sun Jiajun (26.13).

American Michael Andrew qualified fourth with a 26.22 after missing the 50m back final earlier in the session.

Women’s 50m Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 24.38 — Therese Alshammar, SWE (2009)
• World Cup Record: 24.38 — Therese Alshammar, SWE (2009)
• World Junior Record: 24.55 —  Claire Curzan, USA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 24.67
2. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 25.33
3. Beata Nelson (USA) / Lily Marie Price (AUS) – 25.40
4. (tie)
5. Yu Yiting (CHN) – 25.46
6. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 25.58
7. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 25.72
8. Chen Luying (CHN) – 26.00

After winning the 200 breast and 100 IM yesterday, Kate Douglass will be swimming for a win in a third discipline tonight. The American led the field with a 24.67, ahead of Sweden’s Sara Junevik (25.33).

Tonight’s final will look similar to the 100 IM final last night, as besides Douglass, Yu Yiting, Beata Nelson, and Louise Hansson will all be swimming both finals.

Men’s 100m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, AUS (2021)
• World Cup Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, AUS (2021)
• World Junior Record: 45.64 —  David Popovici (2022)

Top 8:

1. Jamie Jack (AUS) – 46.63
2. Jack Dolan (USA) – 46.80
3. Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.95
4. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 46.99
5. Matthew Temple (AUS) – 47.05
6. Edward Sommerville (AUS) – 47.11
7. Dyan Carter (TTO) – 47.21
8. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) / Liu Wudi (CHN) – 47.34

Jamie Jack led the way this morning, shaving 0.28s off of his personal best that he set a few weeks ago at the Australian National Championships. Fellow Aussies Matthew Temple (47.05) and Edward Sommerville (47.11) will join him in tonight’s final.

Leon Marchand opted not to swim this event after all, but his former Arizona State University teammate Jack Dolan posted the second-fast time of the morning with a 46.95.

Long course world record holder Pan Zhanle qualified third with a 46.95, followed by Pieter Coetze (46.99), who’s set to double tonight after qualifying for the 50m back earlier in the session.

There was a tie for eighth, meaning that there will be a swim-off after the conclusion of the session.

Thomas Ceccon won the swim-off, going 46.97 after swimming 47.34 in the heats.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013) / Alia Atkinson, JAM (2014/2016)
• World Cup Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013) / Alia Atkinson, JAM (2016)
• World Junior Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)

Top 8:

1. Tang Qianting (CHN) – 1:02.93
2. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 1:05.02
3. Alina Zmushka (NIA) – 1:05.13
4. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 1:05.43
5. Yang Chang (CHN) – 1:05.87
6. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 1:06.32
7. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 1:06.37
8. Andrea Podmanikova (SVK) – 1:07.21

Tang Qianting, the Paris silver medalist in the long course version of this event, came within six-tenths of a second of the world record. That record of 1:02.36, which Ruta Meilutyte initially set in 2013, has been tied twice by Alia Atkinson (2014 and 2016).

No other woman was under 1:05 this morning, with Italy’s Benedetta Pilato (1:05.02) and Belarus’ Alina Zmushka (1:05.13) coming in just over that mark.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 1:46.85 — Tomoru Honda, JPN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 1:48.56 — Chad le Clos, RSA (2013)
• World Junior Record: 1:49.61 — June Chen, CHN (2022)

Top 8:

1. Trenton Julian (USA) – 1:53.95
2. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:54.30
3. James Guy (GBR) – 1:54.54
4. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 1:54.90
5. Kregor Kirk (EST) – 1:54.98
6. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) – 1:55.06
7. Chen Juner (CHN) – 1:55.93
8. Jack Dahlgren (USA) – 1:56.00

In heat two, Trenton Julian stuck with his strong first-half approach, building a strong lead at the 100m mark. Alberto Razzetti closed strong, but Julian held on to touch him out 1:53.95 to 1:54.30. Those two times stood as the fastest of the morning. James Guy rounded out the morning’s top three after going 1:54.54 to win